Some of the fashions in 1960s set Mod drama Quadrophenia (1979) might seem a touch ‘off’ to the uninitiated. The Mod look has been replicated so much over the years that a skinnier, more fancy interpretation is currently sported by vintage connoisseurs than perhaps ever really existed. Take Phil Daniels’ long sleeved polo jersey during the house party sequence. On initial inspection it looks too baggy to be Mod, but tell that to Quadrophenia’s costume scourers Jack English and Roger Burton (credited wardrobe by Joyce Stoneman). They were actually there; most of us weren’t. Also rather memorable during this party sequence is a bobbed hair ‘modette’ girl wearing a cute…

Costume designer Gary Jones took on the difficult task of bringing The Wizard of Oz back to life for a new millennium and a new audience that had grand expectations. Yet in the end his overall look for Oz the Great and Powerful was more grounded in reality than most of us expected. This is about as far away from pantomime fantasy as you can get. Some of the outfits are, dare we say, wearable, even if you don’t have a costume party to go to. We inspected four of them close up back in February (read our analysis HERE) so can attest at their relative simplicity. However don’t underestimate…

Here is something irresistible for fans of British costume design in film: Dressing the Stars, an exhibition of largely Oscar winning pieces from some of the most famous designers in the business, including Jenny Beavan’s recent work on The King’s Speech. The exhibition will take place at the Fashion Museum in Bath, running from 12th July – 29th August. Emphasis is predominantly, though hopefully not exclusively, on period and fantasy. Expect to see Orlando Bloom’s costume from the original Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy (designer Penny Rose), Gwyneth Paltrow’s from Shakespeare in Love (Sandy Powell), Meryl Streep’s from The French Lieutenant’s Woman (Tom Rand), Keira Knightley in The Duchess (Michael…

Well known and respected Hollywood costume designer, Theadora Van Runkle, passed away from lung cancer in West Hollywood on 4th November. She was 83. Van Runkle essentially fell into costume design. While working as a fashion illustrator she happened to meet costume designer Dorothy Jeakins at a function who required a sketch artist for her upcoming project, Hawaii (1966). Van Runkle then took the job that Jeakins turned down as costume designer for Bonnie and Clyde (1967). This was her first experience in the industry. She may not yet have understood the finer realities of costume design (“I just stumbled through” Van Runkle later admitted) but she knew trends inside…

Clothing retailer Banana Republic are following up their profitable Mad Men tie-ins with something altogether more romantic, an official Anna Karenina inspired collection to coincide with the film’s release in cinemas this Autumn. Late 19th century set Anna Karenina starring Keira Knightley is costumed by Jacqueline Durran, best known for Atonement (2007) and recently BAFTA nominated for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011). Durran was asked to curate the new capsule line by selecting and styling pieces from Banana Republic. According to creative director and executive vice president of design Simon Kneen, this will follow her costume brief of “a more fifties-influence of Dior’s New Look. It was historical but had…

We defy you to watch this first trailer for Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows starring Johnny Depp and not burst with costume excitement. Go on, try it. If the tone is even close to this perfect balance of eerie and stupid, Dark Shadows will be Mars Attacks style laughs with Beetle Juice’s heart and a hint of Edward Scissorhands’ melancholy. Colleen Atwood’s costume design leaps out from the screen, tickling your funny bone and hopefully twitching a latent 1970s revival of gaudy prints and check poly-blend sports jackets. Based on an American soap opera that ran from 1966-71, Dark Shadows the movie takes its daft premise of resurrected vampire Barnabas Collins…

Here’s a link to a video Clothes on Film editor Chris Laverty shot for men’s style journal Mr Porter as part of their Ask the Experts section. The topic is denim jackets in movies, from Hud (1963) to Back to the Future (1985) to Drive (2011), with a potted history of the garment thrown in for good measure. It is about three minutes long and definitely worth a watch, even if we do say so ourselves. © 2013 – 2014, Lord Christopher Laverty.

Recently underway on Sky Atlantic, This is Jinsy is one of those comedy shows set in a surreal world of madness that you either get or you don’t. Frequently hilarious and always interesting, from a costume point of view this is retro fancy dress, deliberately mismatched and performance orientated. Yet everything in Jinsy makes sense within its own world. The island of Jinsy is populated (791 residents) by all manner of weird and wonderful people. The locale has been likened to The Wicker Man’s Summerisle but is spiritually closer to the Village from Patrick McGoohan’s sixties TV series, The Prisoner. Everyone in Jinsy seems trapped there but somehow content. Episode…

After the tragic loss of Jacques d’Azur, his heir steps unto the breach and thanks to Stella Artois 4% enjoys a one-off lifetime to Cannes. He starts with a shave, ends in the VIP room of a classy nightclub, and does a lot of drinking in-between. We all wondered anxiously who might replace über sophisticated filmmaker Jacques d’Azur. That devilish charm, witty repartee, an immaculate dress sense that made Cary Grant look lazy by comparison. Yet because of their stupendously generous competition, we had nothing to worry about. Stella Artois 4% found him. Watch the video and taste your salty tears as this bemused but clearly ready for it heir…

Not long now and Oliver Stone’s follow-up to his 1987 smash hit will be on our screens. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps arrives in UK cinemas on 6th October. To celebrate we have four goodie bags to give away. In Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, Michael Douglas returns in his Oscar winning role as Gordon Gekko, disgraced former titan of the financial world. Emerging from a lengthy stint in prison, he must learn to adjust to a new era of corporate greed where the stakes are higher than ever before. Gekko, however, has not lost his touch. As idealistic young banker Jacob (Shia LaBeouf) discovers, Wall Street is about to…